Keyboard layout with numbers in accents
asked 2014-02-15 21:38:23 +0200
Typing both letters and numbers at the same time are common use case for keyboard and the Sailfish OS keyboard layout could better support it by having numbers in accents/accentsShifted mode like it's done in stock Android. Now user has to switch between letters and numbers input modes. Although with current long press timeout it's faster to "swipe" the number from number mode than long press it under the letter key.
There is the possibility to do custom keyboard layouts with this feature but it would be nice to have it out-of-the-box and with some extra features.
Ideas for keyboard layout:
- Have numbers in keyboards' accents/accentsShifted mode
- By onPressAndHold the keyboard should input the number not the letter for the key
- The number should also be positioned right above the key (not as shown in pictures)
- In accents/accentsShifted mode it's not necessary to show the letter of the key
- Show little number above the key letter
Examples:
Simple custom keyboard (PoC) with numbers in accents:
Concept image of showing numbers above key's letter:
I've thought about the same thing. It seems easy by changing the qml file that configures the keyboard, e.g. for en.qml: KeyboardRow { CharacterKey { caption: "q"; captionShifted: "Q"; symView: "1"; symView2: "€"; accents: "1"; accentsShifted: "1" } CharacterKey { caption: "w"; captionShifted: "W"; symView: "2"; symView2: "£"; accents: "2"; accentsShifted: "2" } etc. Did not try it yet, as I didn't find an easy file editor so far.
rob_kouw ( 2014-02-16 12:13:00 +0200 )editMaking alternative keyboard layout is easy as you can see from the Proof of Concept (PoC) I linked and test it yourself (RPM in OBS). But doing it this way you end up with duplicate keyboard layouts for languages as you can't (easily) remove unwanted layouts from the menu.
walokra ( 2014-02-16 12:22:45 +0200 )editYou are aware of :
Both in combination would be the key to solve most of your problems.
PS:
- The position of the figure in the accented characters list is predictable within a given keyboard layout. It only is a question of positioning the figure within the accented characters.
- Adding a small figure to a keyboard key could be possible by using an image instead of the character – however, I do not know whether the use of images is possible for non-function keys. So this could be the only issue left that is not solvable "out of the box" (once, the Jolla Store keyboard section should become available)
jgr ( 2014-02-17 00:35:18 +0200 )edit